


You Have a Cold Smile

by StormbornQueen



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-07 15:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8806438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormbornQueen/pseuds/StormbornQueen
Summary: In which it was Graves, at least until the end.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It is I, the loser who becomes obsessed with unpopular ships! So, in that spirit, here is a small project that I'm really enjoying working on because these two make a bomb ass power couple.
> 
> I myself think Seraphina Picquery had a ton of potential, and the film didn't use any of it, so I'm going to plan this story around her actually doing something and actually using her super cool wand. Also, it was confirmed that Grindelwald used polyjuice potion, so what if it always was Percival at Seraphina's side? And it was Grindelwald out chasing Creedance, and Grindelwald interrogating Newt. BUT at the same time, the real Percival was doing his job? Honestly, no one would really know if there were 2 Percival's walking around, as long as they weren't in the same area, right? Just a headcanon I have, so we're rolling with it!
> 
> As always, I adore comments and kudos, and I hope you enjoy and look forward to the next chapter!

Percival Graves woke to early rays of sun dancing across his face. He crinkled his nose, not wanting to get up and face the chilly New York morning. Drawing his arms from under the warm blankets, he reached to his left, circling around a slim waist and pulling her to him, the body heat a welcoming comfort. A perfect mocha colored shoulder slipped out from the blankets and he planted a quick kiss there, before moving along to her neck, where he swept her platinum blond locks to the side and planted more kisses along the exposed flesh.

An arm reached around, long fingers stroking through his dark hair. “Percy, must you always wake me so early?”

He stopped his assault and moved to lean over her, smirking. “Only when you don’t close your drapes all the way and the sun leaks in.”

“I quite like the warm sun in the morning, thank you very much.” She stifled a yawn then, and she even made that look elegant, her lashes fluttering as she looked up at him. Darn this woman that made him weak at the knees!

“We’ve got to get to work, Phina.”

“I know. It’d be terribly horrid if the president of the magical congress was late on a Monday morning for no immediate reason, don’t you think?”

Percival smiled, leaning down to give her a quick kiss before unwrapping himself from her and getting out of bed. Slipping on a pair of wool flannel pants, he walked to the kitchen. With a flick of his wrist, the tea kettle floated from the cabinet and onto the stove, water pouring from the faucet and filling the kettle while the flame ignited beneath it. Another motion of his wrist, and the newspaper by the door flew easily into his outstretched hand as he leaned against the kitchen counter.

Seraphina walked in a few moments later, a black wrap tying her hair up as she flipped through a packet of papers. “Anything interesting in the paper today?” she asked, not looking up from her file.

“Just more on the mystery of Grindelwald’s sudden disappearance.”

“Have your aurors heard anything from your contacts across the pond?”

“Afraid not, but I’m going to gather the teams for a meeting today.”

“Good. Of course, I’d prefer we don’t have to deal with a dark wizard at this moment of time, but if we find him here for some reason, we must be ready to act.”

“Well of course, Madam President.”

She pursed her lips at that, but he could see the sides of her mouth pulling into a smile, a mischievous glint in her eye as he moved towards her.

“What would our staff think if they knew that the president of MACUSA and the Director of Magical Security were seeing each other after hours?”

“They’d probably wonder how anyone could put up with your bossy-,” he moved his hands to frame her face, “-attitude, and wonder how you ever managed to catch a gent like me.”

“Well, Mr. Graves, you are easy on the eyes.”

The tea kettle chose that moment to scream at them, and Seraphina pulled away, turning her eyes to the stove top. Graves lifted his hand and the kettle rose into the air, floating to the spot on the countertop next to the jar of sugar. He knew she preferred tea to coffee in the morning, so it’d gotten to be his habit to make it for her every morning he found himself in her bed.

“Show off,” Seraphina said over her shoulder, walking back into the bedroom. “Now, I do believe we need to get to work, Mr. Graves.”

“I need to swing by my apartment, so I’ll see you there. I’ll send you a note later about the meeting with the other aurors.”

“Splendid. I’ll see you later,” Seraphina called from the other room. With that, Graves grabbed his jacket and scarf off the back of the couch, and apparated to his apartment, a few blocks from MACUSA headquarters. It was nice being the only authorized wizard to apparate into and out of the president’s private suites on the edge of Central Park. Much better than blasted flu powder, at least. But at the same time, the feeling of guilt washed over him. He, an auror in high power, was _sleeping with the president of MACUSA_. In his mind, he thought it felt wrong, felt like an affair (though that couldn’t be, as neither of them have seen anyone in quite some time). Yet when he was with her, _it felt so right_.

Graves moved around his apartment, preparing for the day with that thought of doubt clouding his thoughts, but something else nagged at the back of his mind. He couldn’t place it, but something about his apartment seemed…off. He moved from room to room, but everything was much the same. Annoyed with himself, he draped his scarf around his shoulders and apparated to work. He had a feeling in his gut that today would be an interesting day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grindelwald moves forward with his plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left kudos!   
> This chapter explains more of my theory that Grindelwald and Graves are existing at the same time. However, I recently learned that Grindelwald did not use polyjuice potion, but instead used a transfiguration spell, so I'm going to have to tweak some things in my story ugh. Anyways, enjoy, and any comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.

Graves worked his way through the biting cold and busy sidewalks of New York. A light mist hung in the morning air, making his hair damp, a few strands annoyingly falling out of place. Coming to the towering building, bathed gold in the light of the sun, he nodded to the doorman and stepped through the door. Just past 8:05am and MACUSA was already a bustling whirlwind of activity. He moved up the steps, his eyes briefly glancing at the magical exposure threat level, an inward groan starting as he noticed that it was now on “Severe: Unexplained Activity”. Owls and charmed papers flew past him, house elves muttered under their breath as they moseyed by, and the occasional witch or wizard would nod a quick hello. Graves would just give a curt nod in response, hurrying through the halls until he reached the main floor for Magical Security. He swept into his office, placing his coat on the rack by the door, and striding to his desk. A steaming cup of coffee sat in his favorite mug atop a stack of files, a note taped to it:

“ _You make me tea, I bring you coffee. Fair deal?  -S.P._ ”

He smirked, picking up the mug and sitting as his desk. He took a sip, the black coffee strong and bitter against his tongue; the perfect wake-up for what he already knew would be a long day.

Percival had barely opened the first file on his desk when one of his young aurors ran in, slightly breathless.

“Graves, sir, there’s been…another occurrence.”

“Catch your breath, Rhodes. Where at?”

“Apartment building, few blocks away. No-maj’s are saying it’s a gas leak, but it was definitely another…magical force of some sort.”

Graves took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. Phina was not going to like this, so he had to diffuse the situation as quick as possible. “Grab Kirk and Rose, take them to try and clean it up. Record any suspicious activity and report back as soon as possible. I need to meet with the president.”

“Yes sir, right away.”

With that, Rhodes swept out of his office. Percival leaned forward, grabbing a piece of parchment and quickly writing a note to his best aurors and Seraphina, requesting a meeting in the next hour. They had to get to the bottom of this, and fast.

 

* * *

 

**During the same moment of time, a few blocks east of MACUSA**

Gellert Grindelwald walked with an air of confidence, fixing the collar of his coat as he emerged from behind a building. He rather enjoyed this taller body, walking swiftly among the muggles, coming to stand before the building where the recent magical attack had happened. He marveled at the monstrosity of it; the walls had crumbled as if they were nothing but sand.

As he reached the top of the stairs (or what was left of them, anyway), a tremor shook the block. The muggles screamed and turned away, but he planted his feet and watched as a dark matter worked its way down the exposed wall and leapt onto the street, breaking brick and pavement alike, leaving a large dent in the street before disappearing into thin air.

Gellert smiled to himself; this was definitely an obscurus, and a powerful one at that. He needed to find the host, and fast. Drawing his wand from his coat pocket, he noticed the yellowish hue returning to his finger nails. His poly juice potion was wearing off, he needed more hair to make another batch. His fingers itched to ditch the potion and use a transfiguration, but for that, he required blood of the host, and he didn’t want to reveal himself just yet. His host was still proving useful, as long as they weren’t in the same vicinity of one another. He just had to swing by the apartment of dear Mr. Graves and pick out some more hair.

With a last look at the damage done by the obscurus, Gellert apparated from the spot, just as three aurors emerged from the crowd.

Rhodes looked to the top of the steps, where Gellert had stood just moments ago, confusion on his face. _Was that Graves he just saw? Impossible. He’d just left Director Graves at the office. Right?_

 

* * *

 

**MACUSA, Magical Security Meeting Room**

Percival was hunched over a series of files and newspaper clippings, Seraphina standing tense across from him while a few high ranking aurors stood around them. Phina was the essence of power and poise; her chin held straight, her eyes focused and alert, her lips pursed as she listened to him ramble off everything they knew about this dark matter that had been attacking the city.

“Contain this, Graves, or it could mean war.” There wasn’t a quiver to her voice, but he could tell she was nervous. Anxious almost, maybe even scared. Of course, she didn’t show it to the other aurors around them, but he knew her too well. Knew that she got a slight crease between her brow when she was worried, knew she was too tense when her shoulders remained stiff and rigid. He could do nothing but look into the warm chocolate hues of her eyes and silently promise he’d try everything in his power to help her.

At that moment, the meeting was interrupted by a very timid Tina Goldstein, holding a shy, slender man beside her.

_Bad timing Tina, bad timing._ Graves watched as Picquery straightened, an eyebrow arched slightly as she regarded the ex-auror. He inwardly winced at their exchange of words, and moved to stand beside Seraphina, ready to intervene. To his surprise though, Tina didn’t put up much of a fight, and quickly drug her companion from the room.

“Phina, you could’ve heard what she had to say,” he whispered.

“We can talk about that later. Right now, we have a serious matter to address.” She glared at him and turned back to the other aurors. It took all his will power not to roll his eyes.

“Continue, I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.” He shot her a smirk, knowing it would just boil her blood, and strode from the room, heading for the Wand Permit section downstairs. Seraphina watched him leave, her blood certainly beginning to boil. Percival Graves was the only man in America (perhaps even the world) who was ballsy enough to walk out of an important meeting with the president of MACUSA and live to tell the tale.

 

* * *

 

**Later in the evening, MACUSA Presidential Office**

Percival balanced a bottle of fire whiskey in one hand as he waved at Alice (President Picquery’s secretary) with the other.

“Go on in, Director Graves, she’s been expecting you.”

Percival smiled and pulled the golden handle shaped like an eagle, the grand door swinging open just enough for him to slip in. The oval room was warm, and he wasn’t sure if it was from the fireplace against the wall or the witch starring daggers at him over the top of a file, steam seeming to practically come out of her ears.

“Percival Graves, if you ever stalk out of an important meeting again, I myself will escort you to your new job in the mail room!”

He bowed his head to hide his smile as he walked across the room. “I can make it up to you.”

Reaching her desk, he set the bottle of fire whiskey down and waved his hand at a shelf to his right, two glasses floating over to land next to the whiskey.

“It’s going to take a lot more than fire whiskey to-” Her words were cut off by his lips on hers. She squeaked in surprise- they’d agreed to keep the fling (if you could call it that) outside of work. She pushed away from him a moment later, regarding his dark eyes. “Percy. We aren’t supposed to do this…here.”

“Couldn’t resist,” he grinned, leaning back over the desk and taking a seat in one of the plush chairs across from her. She was too tired to argue about it right now.

“Cheeky bastard. I hope whatever Goldstein had to say earlier was of the utmost importance.” She regarded him with a stern look.

He sighed and leaned forward, pouring himself a glass of the whiskey. “She said the man with her, Newt Scamander, had a case full of magical creatures.”

“Well, did he? And Scamander? I wonder if he’s related to Theseus Scamander.”

“No. It was full of pastries. And I believe he’s Theseus’ brother.”

Seraphina dropped the file onto her desk and stared at him. “You’re serious? Has Goldstein lost her mind?”

Percival sighed. “I think she’s just trying too hard to get back into your good graces.”

“Too hard indeed. I don’t have time for her pestering.”

“Phina. She’s a good person, has a good heart, and just wants to do right. She has good instincts, was a great auror. Don’t let one mess-up dictate how you look at her. Please.”

“Percy, she almost exposed us. To a wizardry hate group, none the less. It was reckless.”

“Her intentions were good though Phina, and taking away her auror status has done a toll on her. Let her come back, work small cases.”

“I need to think about it.”

“You’re being irrational.”

“No, Percival, I’m being safe. The wizarding community fears being exposed to the no-maj’s, and as president, I will do everything in my power to keep our people safe and out of harm’s way. If anything happened right now, with Grindelwald on the loose and this…dark matter crap wreaking havoc, I’d never forgive myself for allowing it to happen. People are scared enough as it is, and I don’t want there to be another reason for them to be scared.”

“Which is why you should’ve listened to Goldstein in the first place.”

“Her case of monsters was full of pastries.”

“But what if it had been monsters? Phina, this Grindelwald and dark matter crap is getting nowhere. We have no leads on either, so we’re basically pulling shit out of the air!”

Seraphina dropped her head into her hands and sighed loudly. “Percival, please. I don’t need this right now.”

There was a moment of silence as Graves rubbed his temples. “Alright. I’m off for the night, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Percy, please,” Seraphina said with a sigh, but Percival was already out the door.

 

* * *

 

Percival apparated into his apartment, tossing his scarf and coat on the couch before moving into the kitchen. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and the last thing he remembers is seeing the mismatched eyes of Gellert Grindelwald, and hearing the eerie word “ _Crucio_ ” as white hot pain consumed his body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know I honestly have no clue why I ship Percy and Phina so hard, but I do ok. They'd be a badass power couple, and I have this headcannon that they've been best friends since Ilvermorny and know each other inside and out basically.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Graves finds himself in an odd situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alas, this story had gotten away from me. I have a bit written for it, but it's not finished, so I'll just post what I have and maybe the inspiration will come to me to actually finish it ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ I still think about this ship often, and so wish it had more attention!

Percival Graves woke from a dreamless sleep, something tickling his cheek. He sat up, his back slightly protesting from having to lay on a hard surface, his hands moving across the dark ground, feeling the soft brush of grass. Blinking the drowsiness from his eyes, Percival looked around him. It was night, the moon high in the sky and his only source of light. He sat in a small field of tall grass, and beyond its edges, he could see the reflection of the moon on a calm surface of water. Trees grew from the water, dark and ominous with their drooping branches. It was disturbingly quiet for a night at what he could only guess was a swamp.

_“Rougarou likes to hunt at the edge of the swamp…his yellow eyes will glow in the night, and chase you down faster ‘den a dog! Don’t go ta the edge of the swamp at night, alright Percy boy?”_

Percival crinkled his nose, remembering the words of Rolande Picquery. A shiver went down his spine as he imagined the yellow eyes of the werewolf-like swamp creature, Rougarou, watching him in the night. Seraphina had always laughed at her grandmother’s stories, but Percival had just stared at the old woman, wide-eyed and a bit unsure. There were pukwudgies and water serpents, so how could there not be Rougarou?

Percival glanced up at the moon, trying to remember how he even got here.

_“Don’t sleep under the moon, Percy boy. You’ll go moon mad. Moon mad!”_

More words from Rolande that made Percy wonder how long he’d been sleeping under the moon. How on earth did he get to a swamp in the first place? Fragments of memory started to form in his mind; his “fight” (if you could even call it that) with Seraphina, going home to his apartment… _Crucio_. Grindelwald. Percy cursed himself as he stood, brushing off his pants. How had he been such a fool, so oblivious as to not notice a foreign magical force in his own apartment? Percival prided himself in being able to feel magical auras from a distance, yet he hadn’t noticed one as powerful as Grindelwald.

Percival shook the thought from his mind and tried to focus on his surroundings; perhaps he’d be able to apparate out of here. He thought of the halls of MACUSA, bustling with activity. His magic buzzed about him but…nothing. Percy frowned, clenching his fists. He reached to his belt for his wand, but of course, it wasn’t there.

Walking to the edge of the swamp, Percival looked into the murky green water. Lifting his hands, he focused his magic and willed the water to move, but nothing happened. Not even a ripple broke the calm surface. Looking around, he saw a good size rock not far away. Once again, he focused his magic and thought of holding the rock in his hand.

“Accio rock!”

A coppery taste flooded his mouth as his spine tingled and a pain erupted in his side. He grunted from the force of it, stumbling forward to crouch in the grass. Hell below, he’d been _hexed._ So, not only was he in a swamp in who knows where, but he was unable to use his magic due to some homemade hex that was probably placed on him by none other than Grindelwald himself.

There was only one thing left to do – walk until he found something, anything that could lead him back to some sort of civilization. Percival straightened and started walking through the grass, approaching the opposite side of the clearing. The swamp seemed to stretch farther on this side, so he decided to walk along its edge. The clearing he woke in was small, and seemed to be a singular island in a vast expanse of eerie swamp. When he thought he’d circled the whole island, the fog cleared a tad and he found a small row boat. It was old and decrepit, but it was still floating, so it still must work…right? Percy figured this was his only choice, and stepped into the small boat, pushing off from the shore and into the calm of the swamp. He paddled hesitantly into the dark, the drooping trees blocking the light of the moon. The fog grew thicker around him, the quietness of it all almost smothering. Where were all the bugs, the frogs?

Not really paying attention to where he was going, his boat suddenly lurched and bounced back as it hit something in front of him. Percival scrambled to the front of the boat, peering through the fog, but there was nothing there. Perplexed, Percy paddled the boat forward, and once again, it bounced back, as if hitting an invisible force field.

“Great. Just great. This is going to be a long night,” he muttered to himself, turning the boat to try a different way.

 

* * *

 

The meeting hall was abuzz with fleeting whispers as the council eyed Seraphina when she entered the room. She walked with long, elegant strides, her dress dragging behind her as she climbed the stairs to the dais. Everyone seemed to regard her with a cold glare, but there was only one set of eyes she sought out. Percival regarded her with a hard stare, his slate grey eyes emotionless. He’d always been her calm in the storm, even during their days at Ilvermorny, but at the moment he seemed so distant from her.

Turning, she addressed the crowd before her. There was no time to worry about Percival and his brooding, they had an issue at hand. Governor Shaw was dead.

 

* * *

 

Gellert sat languidly in his seat, watching the president address the magical council. He wasn’t particularly listening to her drone on, but instead was watching her facial expressions. When the meeting started some time ago, she had looked him dead in the eyes and given him an almost pleading look, and since then he’d caught her shoot him a glance every now and again. Gellert racked his brain, recalling the memories he’d pulled from dear Director Graves head; there weren’t any regarding the president that stood out to him, but then again, Graves did have memories that were so locked away, Gellert couldn’t pry them open. Perhaps he needed to visit Director Graves again this evening and dig a little deeper.

Commotion from the doorway pulled him from his thoughts, and he smirked when he saw Porpentina Goldstein walk through the door with a suitcase in hand. He had to stop himself from smiling wide when she informed the president that the case contained _monsters_. Newt Scamander and a no-maj stepping out of the case was an added bonus- Dumbledore’s prized student, here in the flesh. What fun this would be!

Gellert seized the case at the president’s command, and once the meeting was adjourned, he briskly strode from the room to the basement of MACUSA. A simple hex to Bernadette and the other white cloaks, then a seat in the interrogation room to speak to Mr. Scamander himself. He didn’t think getting rid of that pesky Goldstein and the younger Scamander would be this easy.


End file.
